Chennai: Come Monday, the che­ss lovers in the city can challenge seasoned pla­yers to a game of 64 sq­u­ares at various corporation parks.

The All India Chess Fed­eration (AICF) whi­ch is organising the Fide World Cham­pion­ship Match (FW­CM) 2013 between Vis­wa­nathan Anand and Ma­gnus Carlsen of Nor­way here from Nove­mber 7-28, has planned to take chess closer to common man.

As a prelude to the world event, the AICF has planned to conduct blitz chess tournaments for bureaucrats, journalists, the secretariat staff, veterans (above 60 years), and cine artists and a slightly longer version of the game for visually challenged during October 27-31.

While most of the tournaments would be held at Nehru Stadium, the contest for the secretariat staff would be held inside the secretariat. A prize fund of `50,000 has been allotted to each tourname­nt.

“We want to involve people from cross-sections of society and take chess to the masses,” said AICF president J.C.D. Prabhakar.

According to him, a list of chess players is being prepared to make them available at selected locations like Anna Nagar Tower, Mylapore’s Nagesh­wa­ra Rao Park and T. Nagar’s Panagal Park between 4 pm and 6 pm till November 5. “We will award prizes to those who defeat the regular chess players,” he said at a press meet.

Prabhakar further told DC that the concept of having a public display board at select locations was a nice idea and he would take it to the notice of the CM. “With the state government sponsoring the world event in a big way, we will do every thing to create interest among the people,” he added.